NCIS - valentine's day
by Bonasena
Summary: Valentine's day is coming up and Jack has a date but maybe it isn't the man who asked her out she wants to spend the special evening with. this is an idea based on the resume from 17x15 (it probably doesn't line up with the actual episode when it airs) - enjoy
1. Chapter 1

**Next week's episodes (17x15 – lonely hearts) resume says that Jack has a secret admirer on valentine's day. That gave me this idea. It might not at all fit with the actual episode when it airs, but I hope you enjoy it anyway and if you are anything like me… you are going nuts when you have to wait several weeks for a new episode. So this is my therapy… I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think.**

The team has been investigating a case lately. It was a young petty officer who was killed. At first glance it looked like accidental death, but as more leads came up and ultimately with Jack Sloane's profile of the victim's childhood friend it seemed more and more like a jealousy murder committed by the childhood friend. The childhood friend had disappeared once the team realized it was her. now they have been searching for her for 2 days.

The entire team is sitting at their desk. McGee is searching for any online activity from the suspect, while Bishop is looking at the suspects bank accounts to see if there are any activity that can point to her location while Torres is looking for updates on the bolo they have out on the suspects car, but so far none of them have had any luck. Gibbs is starting to lose patience with this case. He has gone out for coffee tree times already today and it is only 11 am. Torres gets up from his chair.

"I am so damn tired of this case. I have Valentine's plans tonight." He says irritated.

"don't you think we all have?" McGee snaps at him.

"yeah but you are married. You don't really need."

"oh really so my plans with my wife aren't as important as yours, Torres?" McGee asks irritated.

"guys stop," Bishop says annoyed with her two colleagues.

"don't you have plans tonight?" McGee asks Bishop.

"well… not really."

"Not like Sloane," Torres says with a big grin on his face.

Bishop and McGee look surprised at him.

"Sloane has a valentine?" Bishop asks with a big grin and looks over at the empty desk that belongs to their fearless leader.

"no, it is not Gibbs." Torres says and walks over to McGee's desk where Bishop joins in on the little gossip meeting. "at least I am pretty sure it isn't." Torres adds.

"who is it?" McGee asks curiously.

"you remember the navy lieutenant from the home invasion two weeks ago?" Torres asks

"the one who was injured when he saved his date when someone broke into her house and tried to shoot her?" McGee asks surprised. Torres nods with a big knowing look.

"oh yeah," Torres says and starts talking in a lower voice to only her two fellow gossipers can hear her details. "I was on protection details at the hospital when Sloane came to interview him about the rubbery. He was checking her out." Torres says.

"no way," McGee says with a big grin.

"was she into him too?" Bishop asks curiously. Torres nods with an even bigger knowing grin.

"oh yeah, she was definitely not blind to what was going on. She told him to just call her Jack. She is always very persistent with everyone referring to her as special agent Sloane." Torres says.

"wow, that is definitely something," McGee says and Bishop nods in agreement.

"you got something McGee?" Everyone gets chocked by the unexpected sound of Gibbs's voice behind them. None of them had noticed Gibbs's sudden appearance.

"no, not yet," McGee says and both Bishop and Torres quickly get back to their own desks and continue their work.

"I might have something." That is Jack's voice sounding from above. Gibbs looks up at sees Sloane on the top of the stairs. Gibbs quickly runs up the stairs and walk with Jack to her office.

Jacks office

The moment they enter Jack's office, Gibbs notices a huge bouquet of red and white flowers in a vase on the little coffee table.

"It seems like you got a new friend," Gibbs says.

"Naah… it is no one." Jack says and walks over and takes a seat behind her desk. she is hoping Gibbs will just take a seat across from her with his back to the bouquet of flowers and forget about them.

"no one who sends you flowers?" Gibbs says in disbelieve.

"you do know it is valentine, today right?"

"Nah…" Gibbs says with a shrug.

"you don't celebrate valentine?" Jack asks. she isn't sure if she should be surprised or not. She does know that Gibbs doesn't exactly have had the most look with romance in his life.

"Gibbs valentine's day is a special day to celebrate romance and love," Jack says and gets up from her chair and walks around her desk and stands in front of him. He is just giving her Gibbs-stare.

"don't you have anyone you want to spend valentine with?"

"you got something on the case, Jack? He asks.

Jack signs heavily and walks around her desk and grabs a file. He walks around and stands next to her to look at the file. He notices that she is wearing a new perfume. He has started to notice little intimate things like that about her lately, which he knows is totally unprofessional which is why he keeps it to himself. He gave her that painting behind them months ago, but they never spoke of it. it is as Jack said the elephant in the room that they don't talk about. The elephant would be out if he asked his colleague to spend Valentine's day with him. he isn't sure how that would change their work relationship and friendship. She knows more about him than anyone else. He can't risk their friendship, so he is keeping his feelings to himself.

Jack starts informing him about the information that she has dug up. It leads to an old cabin that the suspect's grandparents owned in a remote area. Gibbs quickly thanks Jack and runs out of the office to gather his team and head out to the cabin.

Jack is left alone in her office. She drops down in her chair and looks over at the bouquet of flowers on her little coffee table. She then turns around and looks up at the painting hanging on her wall behind her. it is a constant reminder of the very complicated unspoken relationship she has with her coworker and friend. They never speak of it. He cuts her off every time she is trying to get him to talk or they are interrupted in another way. Maybe asking him about his Valentine's plans right after he has just seen a huge bouquet of flowers on her table probably wasn't a good idea. She just hopes that he didn't catch a glimpse of the card next to the flowers. On the outside of the card, it says with big red letters "be my valentine."

lieutenant Johnny Cook whom she met doing a case a few weeks ago is nice and charming and he expressed interest in her from the moment she stepped inside the door of his hospital room. He is charming and handsome and she would lie if she said she wasn't flattered by his charm and when he send her the flowers asking her to spend Valentine's day with him, she was happy at first, but… for some reason, she has a feeling that it isn't right.


	2. Chapter 2

**note: I hope you enjoy this. it is going to be a 4 chapter story. enjoy and please let me know what you think**

**Jacks office**

It has been a few hours since Gibbs, Torres, McGee, and Bishop left to find and arrest the suspect. Jack has been in her office since Gibbs left. She is lost in her thoughts about wheater she should spend valentine's day with Lt. Cook or alone or maybe head over to Gibbs which would probably mean spending valentine's day in Gibbs basement working on his boat while drinking bourbon. She likes the idea of her in a fancy dress, drinking nice wine and having a nice dinner with a man who looks at her in a way that very few men have since she came home from Afghanistan. But at the same time, she also enjoys spending time with Gibbs. But every time her mind reminds her of the moments she has to spend in Gibbs basement with him when he places his hand on hers and guides her hand in how to work the tools, it feels great, but her mind keeps asking her why she would spend valentine's day… that one day a year where you are supposed to celebrate love… with a man who doesn't seem to care about her in that way.

She is snapped out of her confused mind when it knocks on the door and Leon pokes his head in.

"Hey Jack…" he says with a smile before he steps inside and closes the door. "any news from the team?"

"no nothing yet." Jack checks her phone just to be sure that no one has contacted her while she was lost in her thoughts, but there is nothing. Leon looks over at her coffee table where the big bouquet is and then at her with a big smile.

"Seems like someone has a valentines date tonight."

"not you too please, Leon," Jack says tiredly.

"that doesn't sound like someone who is excited about spending an evening with someone special," Leon says curiously to the nature of his friend's tired facial expression. He sits down to have a personal chat with his friend.

"what is going on Jack? You have a valentine's date and yet you don't look at all excited."

"I don't know, Leon," Jack says and runs her hand through her hair.

"you are not sure about what Jack? If he is a good guy or?" Leon asks. he is fishing, he knows that, but Jack also knows she can trust him.

"he is nice. He is a marine lieutenant. He is charming, handsome…"

"The whole package I got it." Leon says with a knowing smile. "but…" Leon asks.

"but what?" Jack asks, even though she knows what he is asking.

"Why are you not sure?" Leon asks.

Jack signs heavily.

"Is there someone else you rather spend valentine with?" Leon asks. he has been suspecting that something has been going on between two of his senior agents over the past 2 years or so but he hasn't gotten any proof.

"I don't know Leon…" Jack says looking over at the flowers at the table. Then she suddenly shifts in her chair and looks very determined at Leon.

"what would you do? If you had a friend you really enjoyed spending time with but who wasn't exactly the most romantic person or a person who you know would create the most perfect and romantic evening?" Jack asks with a bit of an uncertain forced smile.

Leon takes a moment to think before he answers.

"I think I would… follow my heart." He says and then his phone rings. That answer creates an irritated look on Jack's face which amuses Leon a bit. He answers his phone as he leaves the office.

"thanks for nothing Leon," Jack says more to her self then to Leon, who has already left the office and closed the door behind him.

**Bullpen**

It is at 7 pm. Jack leaves her office and walks down to the bullpen where Bishop is packing up her stuff.

"Hey, Ellie," Jack says as she walks in.

"Jack. I thought you had left. Didn't you have a hot date tonight?" Ellie asks with a big knowing grin on her face. Jack looks tired.

"Does everyone know?"

Bishops' hesitation tells Jack the answer she knew was coming but wasn't hoping for.

"hey… I remember lieutenant Cook. He is pretty handsome and charming."

Jack has to agree with her on that. It was the lieutenant's charm that Jack noticed the first time she saw him.

"has everyone left?" Jack asks and looks around the empty bullpen. She doesn't want to ask specifically for Gibbs, but it is really only him she is interested in speaking with.

"yeah…" Ellie swings her backpack on her shoulder. "except Gibbs. He is in interrogation with the suspect." Ellie says and then starts walking towards the elevator.

"Have a goodnight Jack," Ellie calls back and then enters the elevator. Jack is left alone in the bullpen. She is supposed to be at the restaurant to meet lieutenant Cook at 8.30 pm, but she still isn't sure whether she should go or not. Usually, Gibbs is the one to help her make sense of things when she is confused, but he can't help her when he is the one who is confusing her. she has a decision to make and she has to make it on her own.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: my plan was to post this on Sunday, but… to be honest I couldn't wait to post it. so here it is. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think.**

**Interrogation**

Jack enters the observation room next to the interrogation room. Gibbs is currently just looking over his paperwork while he is doing his usual Gibbs-thing by letting the suspect fry for a moment, so they get more nervous. It is a typical Gibbs-thing that Jack likes.

"so, is that cute agent-guy standing on the other side of the glass?" the woman asks Gibbs. Gibbs looks back at the one-way mirror and then at the woman, whose name is Michelle Hawkins. "nope. No one is back there. It is valentine's day. All of my agents went home to spend valentine's day with their loved ones."

"so what about you, Mr. Agent? What about your loved ones?"

"I am not married," Gibbs says and holds up his hand to show her that he isn't wearing a wedding-ban.

"no girlfriend?" she asks.

"no," Gibbs says and looks down over his file.

"how about a cute single female agent?" Michelle asks.

Gibbs looks up from his file with a smile.

"will you tell me why you killed petty officer Whitney?" Gibbs asks and suddenly the friendly curious smile on Michelle's face disappears.

"who says I did?" she asks and her body language changes from open and friendly to being hostile.

"We got your fingerprints on the murder weapon and you ran when we went to arrest you."

"I don't like cops."

Gibbs nods, pretending to seem to understand her statement.

"so you don't like marines either? Or romance?" Gibbs asks.

Michelle looks confused at him. "why would I not like romance or Marines? Steve was my best friend. We grew up together. Why would I kill him?"

"maybe in jealousy. You told Agent Sloane and Agent Bishop that he was a player and a ladies man. everyone loved him. including you?" Gibbs asks.

"of cause I did. He was my best friend."

"was he your boyfriend?" Gibbs asks. Michelle leans back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest.

"no. he wasn't. We were never more than friends."

"But you wanted to, right? To be more than friends?" Michelle pretends like she has no clue what he is talking about.

"This is pictures from petty officer Whitney's home. lots of pictures with pretty young women." Gibbs places a lot of pictures of petty officer Whitney surrounded by a lot of different young women on the table in front of Michelle. She never looks at them but pushes them away.

"okay… so I liked him. he didn't like me. so what?" she says and leans forward in her chair.

"that must have hurt. Being in love with someone who isn't in love with you." Gibbs says.

"well… I'll get over it. there are other men in the world." Michelle leans back in her chair and crosses her arms again. Gibbs notices she is starting to be upset so he decides to kick it up a notch and he takes one picture from the table where Petty officer Whitney is standing together with a woman who has a very similar feature to Michelle. Gibbs takes another picture and then another and places them on the table in front of himself. "they are pretty. Blonde. Mid 20's. Brown eyes. That is pretty unique."

"They are not that pretty," Michelle says and pushes some of the pictures on the floor.

"He definitely has a type." Gibbs says with a smile. "there is something pretty special about a woman with blonde hair and dark brown eyes." Gibbs says and places the picture down on the table.

Jack is standing behind the one-way mirror and listens. She can't figure out if Gibbs is just taunting Michelle because she has blonde hair and blue eyes or if he really means what he is saying that he likes a woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. Jack knows about Gibbs's ex-wives that all matches a specific type, but she can sense that he had a little smile on his face, even though she can't see his face.

"it is valentine's day tonight who were you going to spend valentine's day with?" Gibbs asks.

Michelle looks up at Gibbs with a hostile attitude.

"why do you care?"

"I was just wondering. A friend of mine… she is pretty good at reading people. She took a look at your social network pages. It was interesting what she told me. she said you wrote in your online diary that you were sure tonight was going to be a special night." Gibbs finds a print of one of the pages from Michelle's online diary and puts on his glasses before he starts reading.

"I'm sure he is finally going to ask me out this year for valentine's day. I overheard him saying it is going to be a special night. I saw a pamphlet for a weekend get-a-way to Florida and a helicopter ride over Washington DC. That is what I have dreamed of since I was little." Gibbs looks up from the paper and takes off his glasses. "you thought he was planning this for you?" Gibbs asks.

Michelle has tears in her eyes. she wipes her eyes with her finger.

"It was my dream date. He knew that. I have told him about that since we were in high school."

"the girl and the pilot flying away into the night to a lifetime together?" Gibbs asks and Michelle nods. "only he wasn't planning it for you."

"he planned my dream for some blonde bimbo. I saw him on the street a few days ago with her. They came out of a flower shop together. Later I saw them sitting at a café. The café where he and I used to sit and do homework together. He even ordered my favorite drink to her. I overheard him on phone calls with her. he was even telling his friends how he was going to ask her to be his valentine's date."

"It must have really pissed you off." Gibbs says. "enough to kill him?"

"he used to be this really sweet and shy guy. When we were teenagers, he was too shy to talk to girls. One time he was supposed to be lab partners with another girl, but he couldn't even say a word to her. he was too shy. She was annoyed with him, so I switched with her, and he was so sweet and helpful. He was always so smart."

"But when he became a marine, he changed?" Gibbs asks more as a statement then as a question.

Michelle nods.

"he started to always hang out with these other guys in their uniforms when they were off duty. Steve was never into partying and drinking a lot but he suddenly loved partying and drinking and always hanging around these blonde bimbos with his marine buddies. But when he came home, and we would spend time together he never wanted to do anything. He just wanted to stay in his old bedroom at his parents' house and watch some old movies."

"Being a marine on active duty and be very stressful especially for a quiet shy guy. He probably wanted to hold on to something familiar once he was home. you were the thing that kept him grounded because he knew when he was home things were familiar and quiet. He didn't have to put up a façade like he needed to, to his marine buddies." Gibbs says. on the other side of the one-way-mirror Jack suddenly isn't sure if it is the young petty officer Whitney Gibbs is talking about or if it a young Jethro Gibbs.

"the marine corps chanced him. he became a duce bag." Michelle says angrily.

"then why not just let him go?" Gibbs asks.

"he stole my heart. We grew up together. We were going to spend a lifetime together and when I asked him why he was planning valentine's day with someone else he just laughed at me. HE LAUGHED IN MY FACE."

"so, you killed him?" Gibbs asks.

"damn right. He broke my heart. I broke his."

Gibbs nods and takes out a print of a conversation between the victim and a young woman named Jenny Hendriks.

"Jenny Hendriks is the name of the woman you saw him with. The woman that he was planning his valentine's day with. Only… she is from an event planning agency. She helped him plan the perfect Valentine's Day… for you…" Gibbs places a picture on the table in front of Michelle that shows her the card Steve was going to send Michelle to asks her to be his valentine's date.

"he was going to tell you that he was leaving the Marine corps and apply to flight school to become a pilot." Michelle starts crying when she sees the card.

"he wanted it to be perfect for you. he wanted it to be exactly like you had always dreamed of. He was scared that it wasn't good enough for you, so he spends more than his salary to make it perfect for you." Gibbs explains while Michelle burst into tears over what she has done.

"I didn't even want that. I just wanted to spend valentine's day with him." Michelle cries.

"Well. He did everything he could to give you the perfect valentine's day and to be the man that he thought you wanted him to be." Gibbs says and stands up and gathers his papers. "happy valentine's day to you."

"Why didn't he just ask me himself?" Michelle asks looking up at Gibbs with tearful eyes. "he never said or expressed anything about how he felt.

"he loved you. He expressed that in his own way to you by holding on to the things that had meant something to your friendship his hole life." Gibbs says and walks towards the door.

"he never said anything in words," Michelle says looking down at the pictures of the valentine's day card.

"Some men just aren't good at expressing their feelings. But that doesn't mean they don't have any." Gibbs says and then leaves Michelle alone in the interrogation room.

Jack is standing in the observation room. She is thrown back at what she just heard Gibbs said. Her brain is spinning about what to do when she gets a text from Lieutenant Cook that says he is going to pick her up in 20 minutes. She looks at the text and then through the mirror to Michelle. Michelle only wanted to spend Valentine's day with the man she loved and ends up not spending it at all and Jack has the perfect, charming and handsome man coming to pick her up in 20 minutes and she is doubting whether she should go with him or not. Jack leaves the observation room and walks back towards her office when she bumps into Leon who is about to leave for the night.

"Have a goodnight Jack." Leon greets with a big smile. Jack doesn't answer at first. She seems distracted.

"focused on your date tonight Jack?" Leon asks in a curious yet friendly tone. It snaps Jack out of her train of thoughts.

"Sorry what?" she asks distracted.

"Have you made up your mind between the non-romantic friend and the whole package?" Leon asks with a bit of a teasing smile.

"I am going with the guy who asked me out."

Leon nods. that wasn't what he was expecting.

"Jack, may I give you a piece of advice? As a friend?" Leon asks.

Jack nods.

"sure."

"sometimes…" Leon says. he takes a moment to choose his words wisely. "what you think you are supposed to want isn't always what you do want." Leon says which just created a puzzled look on Jack's face.

"Have a good night Jack," Leon says and walks by her and down the hallway.

**Bullpen**

Gibbs is sitting at his desk in the empty office. The light is dimmed but it is just enough for him to be able to do the paperwork that needs to be done. He suddenly hears the elevator bell. He grabs his weapon from his desk drawer and stands up. To his big surprise, it is a tall man in a marine uniform. Gibbs notices the lieutenant rant on his shoulder and lowers his weapon. The lieutenant walks over to the bullpen and takes off his hat.

"Sir." The lieutenant says and salutes Gibbs. "I am lieutenant first class Johnny Cook. I am here to see special Agent Jacqueline Sloane."

"I'm special Agent Gibbs," Gibbs says and shakes his hand. "Special agent Sloane will be down in a minute," Gibbs says and look up towards the stairs. He didn't even know Sloane was still here. Gibbs sits down and goes back to his paperwork while the Lieutenant remains standing to wait for Jack. Soon after they hear footsteps from high heels coming from the top of the stairs. The two men both look up at the top of the stairs where Jack is coming. She smiles at first but Gibbs notices how her smile fades suddenly. She then tries to hide it and force a smile on her face as she walks down the stairs. Gibbs notices the big smile on Lieutenant Cook's face as he is watching Jack walk down towards him. but what Gibbs really is paying most attention to is Jack. He knows she shouldn't look at her. Gibbs reminds himself that she is going on a date with Lieutenant Cook. She is wearing a knee-length red dress and her hair is curly and falls perfectly down her face. her high heels make her legs look even longer as she walks down the stairs and to the entrance at the bullpen where her date is waiting for her. she walks over to Lieutenant cook and he politely takes her hand.

"good evening, Agent." The lieutenant greets formally and takes her hand before he gently places a kiss on her cheek and says, "you look amazing."

Jack notices how Gibbs looks away from them. She excuses herself for a moment to the lieutenant and walks over to Gibbs. He never looks up at her. he just focuses on his paper, but Jack can tell he isn't really working. she walks to his side of the desk and leans against his desk. when he doesn't look up at her she places a hand right on the report he is working on. That finally makes him look up at her. Gibbs now senses her perfume again and in the dimmed light she looks so perfectly beautiful. Her make up is perfect. It isn't much but it makes her eyes look even darker beautifully brown than usual.

"are you going to sit here all night?" she asks in an almost whispering voice.

Gibbs looks over at the lieutenant who is standing just on the other side of the small wall that surrounds the bullpen. He has his back turned to them and is looking over the light-up city.

"you should go." Gibbs says and looks up at Jack with nudges with his head towards the lieutenant to tell her to go with him. "enjoy your night, Jack."

"don't stay all-night, Gibbs," Jack says almost whispering and places her hand on top of his. She has a sweet caring look in her eyes. it is more clear tonight in the dimmed office light then it normally is. Gibbs looks back over at the lieutenant before he quickly pulls his hand away from hers.

"go Jack. Enjoy your evening." He says loud enough for the lieutenant to turn his way to them. Jack gets off from Gibbs's desk with a cold glance towards Gibbs.

"Have a goodnight… Special Agent Gibbs." Jack says in a slightly colder tone as she walks to the lieutenant. He offers her his arm and she takes it as she looks back at Gibbs. Then she walks to the elevator arm in arm with her date. Gibbs is once again left alone in the big office.


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: This chapter turned out WAY BETTER then I expected it would. it sort of wrote itself. So please let me know what you think and ENJOY.**

Gibbs left the office about half an hour after Jack had left with Lieutenant Cook. He had stopped by a convenient store and picked up a bottle of bourbon before he had made his way home. At first, he had thought about driving out to his cabin in the woods, but he had decided against it because he does have to go to work tomorrow. Once he got home, he changed into more comfortable jeans and one of his marine hoodies. He then made his way down to the basement to work on his boat.

Now he is alone in his basement… reminded of his long-lost love, Shannon. Shannon will always be his first love and valentine's day has been a reminder of her and their love ever since the day she died. This day is always… no matter how many years pass by… be a reminder of Shannon, but…

this year it feels different…

He doesn't drink bourbon in his basement alone, only because he misses Shannon. he still misses Shannon and he always will, but… over the past 2 years, it was starting to be different. He hasn't spent valentine's day alone in his basement. The past two years he has spent valentine's day with a friend. A good friend who knows about Shannon. A friend who knows what happened and who doesn't treat him differently because of it. the past two years he has spent valentine's day with Jack. Not in a romantic way but too good friends and colleagues who spend valentine's day together as good friends. Two years ago, they decided to spend valentine's day together because neither of them had any plans and last year it just felt natural to repeat it since Jack didn't have any plans and Gibbs never makes plans on Valentine's day. It has only been two times they have to spend Valentine's day together and he has to spend Valentine's day alone for so many years now that he shouldn't have gotten used to being with someone only after two years but… this year… seeing Jack leaving with Lieutenant Cook, just reminded him of how he used to go out with Shannon on this day. They didn't get to go out often, but they always made sure to make time on valentine's day.

Usually, Gibbs walks around thinking a lot about Shannon in the days before valentine's day but not this year. Not until earlier today when he walked into Jack's office. He saw the card. It was like reality hit him. he was going to be alone on valentine's day this year again. after Jack left the office and the feeling of loneliness and disappointment had hit him, he was mentally beating himself up for it. Jack has found a man who is romantic, who likes her, and she likes him, and he is going to give her the perfect valentine's day that she deserves. Gibbs knows he should be happy for her. She has found a great man. He shouldn't feel bad for himself or trying to guilt-trip her by being at the office alone at his desk like he did when her date came to pick her up.

Gibbs empties his glass and grabs the bottle to pour another glass when he hears the front door open and then closes again. He can't imagine who it could possibly be. McGee is with Delilah and Bishop and Torres have been joking about spending valentine's day together because as Bishop put it, she felt bad for Torres's ego that he couldn't find a date on Valentine's day. It makes Gibbs smile to himself about how Torres and Bishop remind him in many ways of Tony and Ziva and in many ways they are so different. It can't be Jack either because she is with Lieutenant Cook tonight, so he expects it to either be Ducky or Leon who has some urgent case that has come up.

Gibbs nearly drops his glass when he sees her. it is Jack. She is standing in the door at the top of the stairs. Just looking at him for a moment before she starts making her way down the stairs.

"did you get lost, Jack?" Gibbs asks when she isn't saying anything once she has reached the bottom of the staircase.

"wow cracking jokes now Gibbs?" Jack asks. she is starting to feel very self-aware from the way Gibbs is staring at her and he isn't doing anything to hide that he is checking her out. She knows she kind of asks for it when she shows up at his house on valentine's day in a dress that shows a little more then she usually likes. She would normally never show up at her colleague's place in a dress like this, but things are different between the two of them.

"How was your date?" Gibbs asks while he walks over to his table and starts pouring her a glass of bourbon. She doesn't answer while he is standing with his back to her. once he turns around to face her again and he steps over to her and hands her the glass he notices her facial expression. Something is wrong, he can tell.

"What happened, Jack?" he asks concerned and hands her the glass. She takes a sip of the liquor before she answers.

"I left."

"why?" he asks and takes a sip of his glass.

"come on Gibbs." She says and sounds irritated.

"How would I know why you left your date?" Gibbs says defensive in a raised voice. "he wasn't a good guy or?" Gibbs guesses.

"yes, he was. He is actually a really nice guy."

"Women usually don't leave good guys in the middle of a date, Jack:" Gibbs says and takes a sip of his glass. He turns to continue his work on his boat.

"they do…" Jack starts as she walks around to the other side of the boat, opposite Gibbs. "for an even greater guy." Jack says. it makes Gibbs stop working for a short moment, but he never looks up to meet her eyes.

"then why are you here Jack?" he asks while he continues his work on the boat.

"Why am I here?" she asks aloud. She sounds angry now at him. "come on Gibbs." She says frustrated.

"no. stop saying that." He says and almost throws the sandpaper he had in his hand on to the boat. "stop expecting me to know what you are thinking."

"you know why I am here." She snaps at him.

"yes, I do. But I don't get it." she looks confused at him. he realizes that he hurt her, and he turns his back to her to refill his glass. She walks around to boat to stand near him. he takes a moment to collect his thoughts before he turns around to face her again.

"Jack." He says when he realizes she has made her way towards the staircase. "you are one of the most amazing women I know. Strang and independent and I really can't understand why you would want to be with me. you know my story. You know how broken I am."

"And you don't think I am broken?" she asks. he notices she has tears in her eyes, but she is trying to put up a tough face. "I am just as broken as you are, but what I love the most about spending time with you and working together with you is that you don't try to fix me."

"Jack." He says and looks into her dark brown eyes. she is standing a good distance away from him still. "you can have any man you want in the world. A man likes lieutenant Cook… honorary spotless service record and I saw the way he looked at you." Gibbs says. he sounds so sweet and caring and at the same time so vulnerable.

"Men look at me like that because I am a pretty blonde in a men's world. They only thing they look at is my ass" Jack says as a matter of fact way.

"they have a good reason." Jack pretends to be shocked by that comment but they both start laughing.

"Special Agent Gibbs checking out his female colleagues. That is sexual harassment."

"harassment?" he asks. "you show up in my basement last at night in a dress like that."

"This is outside of work." She says in a daring tone as she slowly walks closer to him.

"who says I was checking you out doing work?" He plays back. now they are back to the little playful game that has been going on between them basically since she joined NCIS. He takes the last step to close the space between them and they meet in a sweet soft and yet emotional-filled kiss that expresses all the unspoken emotions between them.

When they finally break the kiss for much-needed air, they just smile at each other like lovesick teenagers.

"Why didn't we do this two years ago on valentine's day?" Jack asks.

"I don't know." He just simply says and kisses her again.

He takes a step back and holds her hand.

"you probably already had something to eat, but."

"no I didn't." she interrupts. He looks surprised at her. "I canceled the date before we got to the restaurant."

Gibbs smiles a little shyly. "it isn't a fancy restaurant, but I could make us a steak." He offers.

"Sounds good." She says and seals the deal with a kiss.

"While you do that I think ill go change if you don't mind."

"I don't mind that dress." He says and it makes her giggle. "but do what you like." He says and they walk hand in and up the stairs to the living room. while Gibbs starts cooking Jack goes to her car to grab her NCIS go-bag and walks upstairs to change. She comes back down the stairs just in time for Gibbs to serve the very late dinner. He places the plates on the table and looks up to see her. she is standing in the door. she is wearing a pair of tight jeans and a loose army hoodie. Her har is loosely hanging down her face and the makeup is gone from her face. she starts to feel very self-aware again when she notices he is staring at her. she starts to wonder whether she looks too relaxed now, but the smile on his shy boyish smile on his face tells her otherwise.

"dinner is ready?" she asks and steps into the living room?" it snaps him out of his mind.

"yeah." He says. she walks over to him and places a hand on his face and brushes her thumb over his lips.

"you are drooling." She says playful and walks by him to the kitchen to grab utensils.

When she comes back Gibbs has sat down and she places a hand on his shoulder as she walks by and he looks back to follow her with his eyes. she sits down and places the utensils next to his plate and he gently grabs her hand. She stops and looks at him to see what he is up to. He gently pulls her towards him for a kiss.

"happy valentine's day, Jack." He says with a smile once they break the kiss.

"I thought you didn't like valentine's day, Gibbs?" she teases.

"well… I just didn't know I had a secret admirer to spend it with." He teases with a playful smile. She pretends to be shocked.

"if anything *you*… where admiring me," she says with a teasing.

"Yeah, I was." He admits. They start eating in pleasant silence. After a few minutes, Jack stops eating

"I need to ask you something." She says in a serious tone. He looks up at her. He can't really read what is on her mind.

"I was in observation when you interrogated Michelle. Did you mean what you said… about blonde women with brown eyes?"

Gibbs seems to have no recollection of saying anything about that. "did I say anything about that?"

"yes," Jack says. she is a little disappointed that he doesn't remember. "you said 'there is something pretty special about a woman with blonde hair and dark brown eyes.'" Jack reminds him.

"don't remember," Gibbs says and turns back to his food. The disappointed look on Jack's face doesn't go unnoticed and he can't keep his amusement back and he starts to chuckle. She realizes that he is playing her and playfully pushes him on his arm.

"you do remember it," she says accusing. He nods.

"yeah, I do. And I didn't know anyone was listening." He says.

"you are so annoying." She says playful and turns back to focus on her food.

"you know…" he starts. He places his utensils on the plate before he continues speaking. He never looks up at her. "it is easier to tell someone how you feel when you don't know they are listening."

"you were hoping I was listening in?"

He just gives her a shy smile that tells her the answer she wanted to know. She reaches over and takes his hand and he squeezes her hand gently as he looks into her dark brown eyes. he was absolutely right. There truly is something very special about a woman with dark brown eyes and blonde hair – and definitely something about Jack.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

**Note: I always try and be as true to the show and the characters as I possibly can. And to be honest, I feel like this is some of the best work I have done (if I do say so myself) please let me know. How do you think I hit the characters.**


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